Friction draft gear



March 18 1924.

INVENTOR l HARRY EwoERNLEY 4j s a,

2o longitudinal .r, each li FRENTO'N DRAFT GEAR.

Application filed pril 15, 1922. Serial No. Sf.

5 und State l) unsylvniiia, have invented linprovenients in Friction which the lollowiug is n new and u Gears, of specification. v

rthis invention relates to friction draft lo gear for railway curs, and inoi'e particularly to the type employing alternate relatively lined und longitudinally movable friction plates..

"llie 'principal object of iny invention is to i5 provide an improved friction draft geur oi? the above type.

In the accompanying drawing; Fig. l is a longitudinal section of e :frictionVv draft gear embodying my invention," 2 a section of the disait gear on a plane at right angles to that ot 1;*and Fig. 3 a section on the line 5 3 o'lfif. l.

ills shown iii the drawing, the draft gear nuiy ooiiiprise counterpart housings l and 2, fing a closed end andan open end lacing the open end of the counterpart housing.y Within the housings ure mounted ioups of wedge shaped or longitudinally .ai red friction plates, alternate friction :zo plates 3 beine' disposed with the. large ends engaging the end Wall of the housing l, while the large ends of thc friction plates ngege the end Ywall of the housing :5. The

E friction plates 3 are anchored to the housing l by means of lugs 5 which extend into slots 6 formed in the op* osite side walls ol the housing and similar y, the plates 4 are an chored to the housing,T 2 by ineans of lugs T which entend into slots 8 formed in the opposite side Walls of the housing 2.

he outer friction plates 3, which engage the'walls of the housings, may be cut away at the-central portion and both half sections of each friction plate may be anchored to the corresponding housing, `so that these plates servo as Wear plates and prevent wear on the housingl which would otherwise occur through relative longitudinal movement of the friction plates when the draft gear is in 5o l, action.

y lnterposed between the opposite groups of alternate friction plates are a pair of laterally' wedging mechanisms, each comprising a ceiitral'wedge block 9 having utgcositely in 35i clined friction or wcdging laicesiillapted to engage corresgonding wedgiilgrffaces of i wedge blocks 10. The Wedge blocks 1U here friction .tacos enraging the adjacent friction faces or the adjacent friction plates and interposed between the opposite pairs ci. wedge blocks l vis a coil spring ll. A coil spring l2 is ilso interposed between the opposite central Wedge blocks 9.

The housino's und the included friction elcniente are hel together as a unit by means of a centrally mounted tie bolt 13, the head and the nut olf the tie bolt being positioned in pockets le formed centrally of the housings l and 2.

When the draft gear is subjected either to abutting or draft stress, one or the other of the housings is moved toward the other, which ieinuins stationary. This movement causes both central wedge blocks to exert a lateral pressure on the Wedge blocks 10, which is transmitted to the friction plates 3 und it the saine time, a relative longitudlnirl increment tain-s place with respect to the friction plates 3 and 4, so that friction is set un Aby the sliding of the friction plates on cut-h other and since the plates are Wedge shaped or tapered, an additional lateral edging action is produced by the frction plates which increases with the extent oi" the longitudinal increment.

The use oi wedge shaped friction plates also 'lucilitates the release, since the plates tend to fall away from euch other as the housings separate in the release movement.

Wear plates l inay be interposed between lheends ot' the plates 3 and l and the hous ings l and 2, so esto prevent wear on the housings by engagement of the ends of the friction plates therewith and these plates inay readily be renewed if the plate should becoine worn.. 4

Having now described iny invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A l. In a friction draft gear, the combina tion with counterpart housings havin(i opposed closed ends find facing open ends, of a plurality of alternated longitudinal Wedge shaped friction plates mounted in said housings and means for impressing a lateral pressure on said plates.

2. In a friction .dralt gear, the combinaicc of the other plates and nie-ans forilnpressing a lateral pressure on said plates.

3. In a friction draft gear.l the eoinhination with counterpart housings havingtopg e 'posed closed ends and aenig open ends, of.

- aphuaiitwyuoi wedge shapeelffrietion plates mounted in said housiniswvith thehti'fge nds of alternate plates extending into one housing und the large ends of the other plates l@ extending into the other housing and wedging means for impressing a lateral pressure on said plates.

4. In a 'friction draft gein-,the combination with rounterpalt housiiw having' opw posed closed ends and tat-hief open ends. of a plurality olf wedge shaped 'friction plates mounted in said housings, with the large ends of ahernat'epiates engaging the closed end of one housnn:r and the large ends ot' the 2o .other pian-s engaging the closed end ot' the 

